class, and he felt strangely light-hearted. Besides, he was no more of
a "four-flush" financier than most of the automobile contingent, at
that.

When he reached his house, he ran up the steps with a radiant face.
Honey was waiting for him at the door, her lithe little figure and mass
of chestnut hair, done up on top of her head, silhouetted against the
light in the hall. She kissed him, and in her eagerness literally
dragged him into the hall and shut the door.

"Dearie, you've done it! I know by your face you've done it!"

"Eh-huh!"

"Now, don't tell me how much till I show you something!"

She drew him into the dining-room and pointed to the table where a
wonderful dinner was waiting. "Look, Dearie, oysters to begin with,
and later--beefsteak! Think of it! Beefsteak! And, look--those
flowers! Just to celebrate the occasion! I was so sure you'd get it!
And, now, Dearie, tell me--how much did they appreciate you?"

Skinner was swept off his feet by her enthusiasm. He threw caution to
the winds--that is, after he'd made a lightning calculation. It would
n't cost any more, so why be a "piker"?

"Ten dollars," he said with affected quiet.

Honey came over to Dearie, flung her arms around his neck, put her head
on his shoulder, and looking up into his face, with eyes brimming with
happiness, sighed, "Dearie, I'm so happy! So happy for _you_!"

And Skinner felt that the lie was justified. He put his hand up and
pressed her glossy head close to his breast and looking over her
shoulder winked solemnly at the wall!

"And now, Dearie," said Honey, when they were seated at the table,
"tell me! You actually bearded that old pig in his pen--my hero?"

"Eh-huh!"

"You told him you wanted a raise?"

"Eh-huh!"

"And what did _he_ say?"

"First, he said he'd see Perkins."

"And he _saw_ Perkins, and what then?"

Skinner threw his hands apart and shrugged his shoulders. If he had to
lie, he'd use as few words as possible doing it.

"Was that all?"

"Eh-huh!"

"It _was_ a 'cinch,' just as you said, was n't it, Dearie?"

Skinner imperceptibly winced at the word.

"Eh-huh!"

"I knew you'd only have to hint at it, Dearie!"

"If I 'd hung out, I might have got ten dollars more," said Skinner
loftily.

Honey was silent for a long time.

"Well," said Skinner presently, "what's going on in that little bean of
yours?"

"I was just figuring, Dearie. Let's see--ten dollars a week--how much
is